Rotating display



Nov. 6, 1962 L. FITES ROTATING DISPLAY Filed Nov. 9. 1959 INVENTOR. LARRV L. FITES United States Patent Office 3,061,971 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 3,061,971 ROTATING DISPLAY Larry L. Fites, Perry Township, Miami County, Ind., as-

signor to The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 851,836 Claims. (Cl. 46-34) This invention relates to a display device useful as an advertising display, a greeting card, a toy or the like and it relates particularly to the provision of a folded type of message-carrying card capable of creating an attention-arresting motion upon both the opening and the closing of said card by the user.

While the particular need out of which this invention arose relates to the advertising field, and particularly to the field of pharmaceutical advertising, it will be recognized as the description proceeds that devices embodying the invention are applicable to -a multitude of specific fields and to a multitude of uses other than advertising. For example, devices embodying the invention can be utilized, in addition to advertising, for direct mailing pieces, announcement cards, greeting cards, the so-called get Well card, and any other use wherein a folded card is appropriate and in which there is desired an attentionar-resting motion to appear upon both the opening and the closing of the card by the user.

While the art has previously been acquainted with large numbers of motion-producing cards of the general character herein involved, the previously known devices of this type have been lacking in many features desirable for an attention-arresting card. For example, many previously known cards have produced only a single, often somewhat startling, motion upon opening thereof, which motion was certainly attention arresting but which performed no other message-carrying function. Other cards produce only the desired motion upon opening thereof and no corresponding motion upon closing, whereas if a generally similar motion could be produced upon both the opening and the closing of the card, the viewers attention is not only called to the advertisers message when the card is opened but it is again emphasized when the card is closed. Other previous devices have been constructed with resilient parts but in such a manner that the parts are in a state of maximum stress when the card is closed. Thus, if the cards remain unused, as on a store shelf, for an appreciable period of time the material often fatigues and the resulting action is less than that intended. Further, many previously known messagecarrying cards are unreasonably complicated and accordingly expensive and in view of the large numbers in which such cards are utilized, this is obviously a real disadvantage.

Accordingly, there has long existed a wide opportunity and need for major improvements in this general type of advertising display, or message-carrying card and the present invention has been made with the following specific objects and purposes, among others, in mind:

(1) To provide a message-carrying card wherein a normal manipulation thereof performed by the observer or user will produce an attention-arresting motion.

(2) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, which is normally folded and which will produce an attention-arresting motion when opened by the observer or user.

(3) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, wherein the motion produced is not startling but is prolonged for a sufficient period of time to insure adequate performance of its attention-arresting purpose.

(4) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, wherein the attention-arresting motion also assists in conveying the desired message.

(5) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, wherein the motion produced upon opening of the card is substantially repeated upon closing of the card.

(6) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, wherein the parts will be in their condition of minimum stress when the card is in its normal folded position and will become appreciably stressed only upon opening of the card by the observer or user.

(7) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, which will be extremely durable and can withstand both storage over a long period of time without losing its attention-arresting capacity and withstand frequent and repeated use over an appreciable period of time without breaking, fatiguing or otherwise losing its attention-arresting capacity.

(8) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, which can be manufactured at a very small cost primarily by punching or stamping operations and will require no complicated folding of the material itself from which the card is made.

(9) To provide a message-carrying card, as aforesaid, which can be conveniently made from a variety of materials as desired according to the circumstances of a particular use.

(10) To provide a message-carrying and attentionarresting card, as aforesaid, wherein the attention-arresting portion can be made from a different material than that of the remainder of the card, if desired, to promote its attention-arresting functions.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with devices of this general type upon reading the following disclosure and inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on line 11-11 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on line IIIIII of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line IV-IV of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on line VV of FIG- URE 1.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION In general, the invention consists of providing a folded card with an opening in one portion thereof, and mounting an attention-arresting device rotatably within said opening by means including a shaft. A thread is wrapped in one direction around one part of the rotatable shaft and is aflixed to a portion of the card on the opposite side of the fold from that on which the attention-arresting device is mounted. Thus, upon opening of the card said thread will be pulled away from said shaft and will cause same to rotate. Means including resilient means is wrapped in an opposite direction around another portion of said shaft and is stressed when the card opens and is therefore in condition to effect rotation of said attention-arresting device in an opposite direction when said card is closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings for one highly effective embodiment of the invention, attention will be directed to a device wherein the parts are so proportioned that the attention-arresting portion thereof is subjected to a rapid and momentarily sustained rotation upon both opening and closing of the folded card. Thus, by making said attention-arresting device of a shape and color pattern as to simulate a mechanical governor, for example, of the type normally used on steam engines, the device is appropriate for use with a type of pharmaceutical prodnet whose function is that of a governor of the human physiological system. However, by suitable modification of the parts, the shape of the attention-arresting device, and the duration of its rotation, can be modified through a wide range to enable the attention-arresting device to accommodate itself to a wide range of message-carrying situations and purposes. For example, the attentionarresting device may simulate a spinning top, a dancer, a motor armature, a spinning projectile or limitless other forms according to the message it is intended to convey.

Referring now to the details of construction of the particular device here chosen to illustrate the invention, the card 1 comprises two sheets 2 and 3 of suitable material, such as light weight cardboard. In this particular embodiment said card is provided from a large sheet of suitable board folded along its upper edge 4 and fastened together at its lower edge by any suitable devices such as a plurality of staples 6. The card is further folded along a desired line 7 which in this instance is midway between the extreme ends of the card. An opening 8 is cut through both of sheets 2 and 3 at a point spared substantially to one side of the fold line 7.

Positioned immediately above and below said opening and located between said sheets 2 and 3 are located, respectively, an upper bearing block 9 and a lower bearing block 11. Each of said bearing blocks has a recess therein, the upper bearing block having a recess 12 opening to its lower side and the lower bearing block having a recess 13 opening to its upper side. Both of said recesses are arranged on and elongated along a common axis with respect to each other. In this particular embodiment, said recesses 12 and 13 are merely slots through the bearing block of Width substantially equal to the thickness of the respective bearing blocks. Thus, the walls of said slots cooperate with the adjacent mutually facing walls of the sheets 2 and 3 to provide confined elongated coaxial recesses for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned shaft.

Said bearing blocks are fastened in place by any convenient means, either mechanical or adhesive. In this embodiment there are shown the staples 16 and 17 for this purpose. It will be noted (FIGURES 4 and that said staples somewhat embrace the shaft-supporting recesses in order to hold said parts snugly together and improve the strength thereof.

A shaft 14 is arranged within, and rotatably supported by, the recesses provided by the slots 12 and 13 and an advertising display device of any desired type, here indicated at 15, is mounted on and for rotation with said shaft 14. In this embodiment, said device simulates a mechanical governor but, as above noted, this is by way of example only and is in no sense limiting.

In the embodiment of the invention appearing in FIG- URE 2, said display device is shown as comprised of two elements one arranged on each side of the shaft 14 and this arrangement is desirable in order to balance said device concentrically around its center of rotation. However, other means of fastening and/or balancing may be employed as desired and in some instances where a high rate of rotation is not obtained or in other instances where the vibration incident to an unbalanced rotation itself assists in conveying the desired message, the card may merely be fastened to one side of the shaft 14, as by stapling thereto.

A substantially non-elastic, elongated, flexible member, here a piece of common thread, indicated at 18, is wrapped around the shaft 14 and is affixed thereto by any convenient means at 20, such as by further wrapping or an adhesive or both. Said thread 18 is in this instance located somewhat below the opening 8 and accordingly a port 19 is located below said opening and to one side of said shaft through which said thread extends. Said thread then extends across and past the fold line 7 and is afiixed to the card structure on the panel In, here appearing as the rightward panel illustrated in the drawings.

Said thread is fastened to the panel 1a in any convenient manner, which in this instance consists of extending it through a small opening 21 in the sheet 3 and adhesively fastening it thereto with the assistance of a reinforcing pad 22 which is also adhesively fastened to the sheet 3.

A further elongated flexible member 23, which is at least in part elastically elongatable and in this instance consists of a common rubber band, is wrapped around the shaft 14 in a direction opposite to the direction of wrapping of the thread 18 and is fastened thereto in any con venient manner, such as by further wrapping and/ or adhesive at 24. In this instance said member 23 is wrapped around the opposite end of the shaft 14 as compared to the wrapping of the thread 18, but this is a matter of structural convenience only and, if preferred for other reasons, both of said elongated members may be wrapped around the same end of the shaft. Said member 23 extends between the sheets 2 aud 3 (FIGURE 2) toward the fold line 7 and, at a point substantially spaced from the shaft 14, is fastened to one of said sheets 2 and 3, here the sheet 3, in any convenient manner, such as by adhesive means, preferably with the further assistance of a reinforcing pad 24, which may likewise be adhesively fastened into place.

In the at rest position of the apparatus, the panels In and 1b are closed together so that the portions 30 and 312 (FIGURE 2) of the sheet 3 lie in contact, or substantial contact, with each other. In this position, the elastic member 23 is under at the most only a light tension and the non-elastic member 18 is sufficiently loose that the panels 1a and 1b can open with respect to each other sufficiently to permit rotation of the display member 15 without tensioning said non-elastic member 18.

OPERATION Starting with the parts in the at rest position above described, the user or observer opens the panels 1a and 1b in the manner of a book by moving said panels away from each other around the fold line 7. At first, no motion of the display member 15 occurs while the nonelastic member 18 is being tightened and it will be evident that no motion is possible until the panels 1a and 1b open sufficiently to permit clearance by the display member 15 of the panel 1a. When such point is reached the nonelastic member 18 becomes tightened and as the opening of the panels 1a and 1b with respect to each other continues the member 18 will be drawn off from the shaft 14 thereby effecting a rotation of said shaft. The speed of said rotation under a normal manual opening speed of the panels 111 and 119 will, of course, be a function of the diameter of a portion of said shaft upon which the thread 18 is wrapped and this can be readily designed to meet the particular needs and purposes of the device.

Simultaneously, the rotation of said shaft 14 will wrap the elastic member 23 on and around said shaft and tension same as said elastic member 23 is pulled with respect to its anchor point adjacent the pad 24. Said elastic member 23 will be held under tension for so long as the panels 112 and 1b are apart from each other but as soon as the thread 18 is permitted to move toward the shaft 14, which will occur when the panels 1a and 1b are again moved toward each other by closing of the display device, the resiliency of the elastic member 23 will cause said member to unwind itself from the shaft 14 and thereby effect a rotation of said shaft in the opposite direction. Such rotation will rotate the display device 15 in such opposite direction and will simultaneously rewind the non-elastic member 18 again onto said shaft in position for commencing another cycle as above described upon a subsequent opening of said card and resultant moving of the free ends of said panels 1a and 1b away from each other.

While the foregoing description was in terms of a relatively small unit for mass production at low cost and manual manipulation, and one of the major objects of the invention is to provide such a unit, it will be recognized that at least the general organization of the invention is applicable also to larger units which may, for example, utilize plywood for the panels 1a and lb, hinges along the fold line 7, an elongated helical spring instead of the elastic member 23 and mechanical means may be adapted for effecting opening and closing of the panels 1a and 1b toward and away from each other. Many other modifications of size, materials, and design details will fall within the scope of this invention and will be apparent to persons generally acquainted with apparatus and devices of this general type.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described hereinabove for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations or modifications thereof, which lie within the scope of the invention, are fully contemplated unless specifically stated to the contrary in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in a display device, the combination comprising: a first panel having an opening therein; a shaft extending across said opening and means at the opposite ends of said shaft rotatably mounting said shaft on and rotatably With respect to said first panel; a second panel hingedly connected to said first panel; an elongated, elastic member having its one end wrapped around said shaft in one direction and its other end anchored to said first panel; an elongated non-elastic member having its one end wrapped in the other direction around said shaft and its other end anchored to said second panel; whereby opening of said panels away from each other will unwind said non-elastic elongated member from said shaft and thereby effect rotation of said shaft in one direction and will simultaneously wind said elastic member on said shaft and tension said elastic member, and on moving said panels toward each other said elastic member will be unwound from said shaft and will effect rotation thereof in the opposite direction and said non-elastic member will be simultaneously Wound on said shaft.

2. In a display device the combination comprising: a pair of panels pivotally joined at their mutually adjacent edges for pivotal movement toward and away from each other, each of said panels including two sheets and one of said panels having coaxial openings extending through both of said sheets; a pair of bearing blocks arranged on opposite sides of said openings and having coaxial shaft receiving recesses in each thereof; a shaft rotatably received within said bearing blocks and extending diametrically across said openings, said shaft being parallel to the pivot axis connecting said panels; a display member affixed on and non-rotatable with respect to said shaft for rotation therewith within said openings; an elasticallyextensible, flexible, elongated member having its one end secured to and wrapped around said shaft, extending therefrom between said sheets toward said pivot location and anchored to said one panel at a point between said shaft and said pivot axis; a nonextensible, flexible, elongated member having one of its ends secured to and wrapped around said shaft in the circumferential direction opposite to that of the wrapping of said elasticallyextensible member and having its other end afixed to the other of said panels; whereby opening of said panels away from each other will act through said non-extensible member and effect rotation of said shaft in one direction, and closing of said panels toward each other will permit said extensible member to rotate said shaft in the opposite direction.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein the nonextensible member is so dimensioned that it becomes taut only after the part of said one panel in which said shaft is located moves away from the other panel a distance equal to half the largest radius of said display member.

4. The device defined in claim 2 wherein said display member includes a pair of substantially identical members extending on each side of said shaft and arranged symmetrically about the axis of said shaft.

5. In a display device, the combination comprising: a pair of panels pivotally joined at their mutually adjacent edges for pivotal movement toward and away from each other, one of said panels having an opening therethrough; a pair of bearing means arranged on opposite sides of said opening and having coaxial shaft-receiving recesses in each thereof; a shaft rotatably received Within said shaft-receiving recesses and extending across said opening in said one panel; a display member mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith within said opening in said panel; an elastically extensible, flexible, elongated member having one end secured to and wrapped around said shaft in one direction, the other end of said member being anchored to said one panel; a non-extensible, flexible elongated member having one of its ends secured to and wrapped around said shaft in the opposite direction and having its other end afiixed to the other of said panels; whereby opening of said panels away from each other will act through said non-extensible member and effect rotation of said shaft in one direction and closing of said panels toward each other will permit said extensible member to rotate said shaft in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,574 Oppenheimer July 11, 1916 1,517,958 Corthell Dec. 2, 1924 2,742,287 Barker Apr. 17, 1956 2,749,657 Lohnes June 12, 1956 2,943,416 Barker July 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 572,858 Germany Mar. 2, 1933 

